Date:27/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/27/stories/2008092756600400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Call to vaccinate children against pneumonia

Special Correspondent

28 countries include vaccine in immunisation schedules

HYDERABAD: With about four lakh children below five years of age dying of pneumonia in the country every year, the Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) has made a strong pitch for inclusion of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in the National Immunisation Programme.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, leading paediatrician and president, State Chapter of IAP, P. Sudershan Reddy, secretary P.Venkateswar Rao and treasurer Ajay Kumar, said 28 countries had included the vaccine in their national immunisation schedules . While 50 per cent of pneumonia deaths were due to pneumocuccus bacterium, another 20 per cent such deaths were due to Haemophilus influenza B. They said that 33 per cent deaths could be prevented by antibiotic therapy, another 33 per cent each by immunisation and improving nutrition and standard. Breast-feeding for six months was five times more advantageous for survival compared to those who were not breast-fed.

The paediatricians said that the Global Alliance for Vaccine Initiatives (GAVI) had offered to extend financial support to the Indian government for obtaining the pneumococcal vaccine at subsidised prices ranging between Rs.7 to Rs.14 per dose. They said that serotypes in the vaccine accounted for 52 per cent of pneumonia in children below five years.